After receiving the gratifying news that everything is set for us to become an Associate Member of CARICOM, I received numerous personal congratulations and messages via social media. I have always advocated for joining the Caribbean family, and nearly 20 years ago, I opened the door when I visited CARICOM's Secretary-General, Sir Edwin Carrington, in Georgetown, Guyana. As the Minister of Economy and Labor in 2005, I stood almost alone on the issue of CARICOM membership because my colleagues did not see the benefits. Others were convinced that if we sought closer ties with the Caribbean, the Netherlands would be angry with us. 

Beyond the political arena, I have guided dozens of students with their final theses on CARICOM. In recent years, I have also remained involved with the issue, working behind the scenes with Caribbean experts from two regional think tanks I am associated with: Global Americans and the Caribbean Policy Consortium. 

I am pleased that CARICOM membership has finally been realized. Of course, some figures have already started campaigns to discredit those who stood at the cradle of this achievement. Those knowledgeable about the matter understand that these types of processes do not come to fruition in a short time. It took nearly 20 years. Certainly, I would have liked this to be realized sooner. Dr. Carrington told me that my petition needed to be studied because he also knew the historical disdain we had shown our neighbors. 

Congratulations to the government on this achievement. What I feel is missing is more transparency. On which areas is cooperation prioritized, what types of cooperation are we talking about, how much money does Associate Membership involve, and how will we ensure the representation of our people in (the various bodies of) CARICOM? 

Thanks to those who valued my efforts, which were not for political gain but based on a simple conviction: it is in our best interest to seek closer ties with our neighbors and our own region. 

Alex David Rosaria (53) is a freelance consultant active in Asia & Pacific. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America. He’s from Curaçao and has a MBA from the University of Iowa. (USA).